HALF MARATHON, 5K, MILE WALK SET FOR EL CAJON

Popular and steeped in tradition, can the Carlsbad 5000, the Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon and the La Jolla Half Marathon welcome a new kid to the runner’s block?

A group that calls itself RunEC is hoping runners in San Diego County will turn out for its inaugural races in East County, the Hooley’s Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk, plus a Green Mile event, set for March 17.

The event will benefit several charities.

Race chairman Mike Stowers, a Blossom Valley resident and longtime runner, said 800 people had signed up for the races by Monday. Stowers said the great majority are signed up for the half marathon, which begins at 8 a.m. The 5K starts 10 minutes later and the mile walk at 8:15.

There will be chip timing for the half marathon and 5K, awards for the first three finishers in each age division and medals and T-shirts for participants.

The races will be on USA Track and Field-certified courses through Rancho San Diego, with the half marathon going deeper into El Cajon, both starting at the Rancho San Diego Towne Center near Cuyamaca College. The race was initially supposed to go from the Hooley’s Pub in Rancho San Diego to the Hooley’s in Grossmont Center in La Mesa, but those plans were scrapped.

“We didn’t have enough time and resources to figure it out this year,” Stowers said. He said the group someday might include La Mesa in its route, but that it was happy with the course as it is.

“There are some real positive side effects staying in El Cajon,” he said. “There will be a party at the (Prescott) promenade (the race’s turnaround) with an Irish band. It’s a nice community run. This is a calling card for the community.”

Net proceeds are designated for St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, Home of Guiding Hands, Partnerships with Industry, the East County Transitional Living Center and Stoney’s Kids.

Safe-driving class Thursday at Santee High School

The Start Smart class, for teenagers 14 through 19, is coming to the city for a sixth year.

The program provides an opportunity for new drivers and their parents or guardians to understand their responsibilities.

The class, set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Santana High in Room 804, will be taught by law enforcement personnel. There will also be classes available on April 24 and May 29 at West Hills High.

Nancy Ortiz, crime prevention specialist with the Sheriff’s Department Santee station, said the class typically draws 150 to 200 kids. She said that some schools, including Santana, West Hills and El Capitan in Lakeside, make the class mandatory if a student wants to be able to park a car on campus.

The class, which features graphic video footage of accidents and fatalities, teaches about distracted or impaired driving and how to prevent collisions, Ortiz said. The class also clarifies the restrictions of the provisional license law and social host ordinances.

“It’s a really good education on teen driving,” Ortiz said. “We put it out there for any student, but the majority of those in the class are those who are just starting to get behind the wheel. Sometimes we have speakers, actual teens that have been in accidents.

“But it’s best not to hide anything and send home the message that night. Whether it’s speed, texting or weather, the more awareness teens have, the more they can learn about driving and everything that revolves around it, the better,” Ortiz said. “We want them to be aware.”

After the class, each teen earns a certificate of completion and a key chain that relates to the theme of safe driving.

For more information, visit
sdsheriffs.net. To reserve a spot, call Ortiz at (619) 956-4022.